“It takes great deal of character strength to apologize quickly out of one’s heart rather than out of pity. A person must possess himself and have a deep sense of security in fundamental principles and values in order to genuinely apologize.”

One reason that we can’t apologize quickly and sincerely from the heart is because we don’t have enough internal security. It makes us too vulnerable. We feel it makes us appear soft, incompetent and week, and we fear that others will take advantage of our weakness. When our security is based on the opinions of others, we worry about what others might think.

“It is one thing to make a mistake, and quite another thing not to admit it. People will forgive mistakes, because mistakes are usually of the mind, mistakes of judgment. But people will not easily forgive the mistakes of heart, the ill intention, the bad motives, and the prideful justifying cover-up of the first mistake.” (Page 199, 7 Habits)